Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-10-28
SLAUGHTER OF THE SEA SERPENT,

SLAUGHTER OF THE SEA SERPENT.
A Cruise After the Monster of the Deep
Filled with Many Funny Incidents.
[I1ondon Rare Bits.l
1t was on bright June morning, in
the year of jubilee, that stately ves-
sci OF 200 tons of 4 hundred-weighta and
ounces burthen sped down the Mersey.
Engraved on a brass plate over the
ice bow was the name Of her captain,
sT. Jones, Esq" Her mission was the
capture Of that terror of the deep-the
sea serpent. The crew of five hands
were armed to the teeth, illustrating
the old proverb that forwarned is FIVE
armed. He felt these noble tars, en-
bark on their perilo1s errand. Was
there a man dismayed? No, the sailor
knew no one had blundered.
A. Tennyson, P. L., thus aptly de-
scribes them. But to our story. Every
stitch of canvas was sewed to the mast,
the aft, mizzen-sheet hung over the
skylight- backstay, the pinnacle gayly
waved aloft and the compass, like q
thing of life, bent to the foretop boom.
All that wary seamenship could &C.
complish had been done. Suddenly
Captain Jones came on deck and gave
the word of command.
Alloy there! Let go the floating an
Choir, splice the gangway, and tie the
painter to the cooks back!"
Swift and silently these orders were
obeyed.
"Aye, aye, SIR" came the stern re-
Spouse, and each gallant sailor pulled
the cabin boys hair to show that all
was we'll. Away sped the saucy craft
with three men overheard and one
clinging to the fog candle. Too late.
The captain retired to the main shrouds
and, looking through nutmeg crater,
announced that the German ocean was
where it was the day before yesterday.
At this news all was dismay, for each
brave seaman knew that there would
be rain tomorrow and that he had come
aboard without his life belt. The chief
mate, after treating himself to three Of
rum, took the pledge and put the ticket
in his pocket, for alas pawnshops were
many in the land. Where, oh! where
was the G. o. NJ. and Lord r? The
storm had ceased.
"Sail, o." cried the man at the
where away?" answered the cap
tain, through his telescope.
He was greatly agitated. Something
must be done, and he ran to the
man Of the wheel and knocked him
down with chew of 'bacca.
"On the larboard side of the port
funnel" came the quick reply.
At this moment the bell in the cabin
lighthouse struck two-the lighthouse
and the boy. All the crew looked at
the back door of the steerage, for some
thing told them that this must be a
warning-a sure sign of the presence of
the sea serpent and so it proved.
"Strike the foremost light on the
Bryant and May" shouted the captain.
"Throw the lightning conductor over
board and let England do her duty and
take my poor old father out of the
workhouse."
Great confusion ensued, during which
the mate coiled up the gangway, and
the cabin boy brought the eighty-one
ton gun out Of the hold and stood it on
the forecastle. The decks were cleared
for action. just then an enormous
dark mass, three miles long, arose out
of the sea and struck the vessel in its
strength. 1t was the serpent. The
crash was awful, and stunned all on
board. Recovering his senses, which
lay on the deck, the captain borrowed
a piece of Irvine off the chief mate and
went aloft to hang himself. He was
rescued with hen coop. The serpent
was seen climbing over the chimney
rigging on the main rail. A rush was
made to the captains gig and two of
the crew got between the shafts. The
serpent was now on the deck. Captain
Jones gave his orders from the anchor
box and quickly the carnage began.
They attacked the monster with all the
daily papers they could lay their hands
upon. For time victory hung in the
balance. At last Captain Jones gal
lantly rushed forward and dealt the
serpent terrible blow with bound
volume. 1t stretched the fish monster
lifeless on the deck. Bare headed the
crew gathered round and sang the
national anthem. The sea serpent was
dead-dead as the big gooseberry.
They lashed it's carcass securely to
the bobstay, and steering due north by
westeast towed the monster into port
and sold it to marine store dealer for
eighteen pence. Great honors We're in
store for them; the crew were all made
policemen because of their strict ver-
acity, and Captain Jones, after being
knighted, assaulted, and fined ten shil-
lings and cost, was provided for in his
native work house, where he often use
to narrate to the deaf and dumb in
mates and the occupants of the imbecile
ward the thrilling experience which
befell him when engaged in capturing
the sea serpent.
HinlOO WOrkmen.